Leben und Tod
by SkyminSlash
Summary: "Archimedes was nowhere to be found. I called for him, but received no answer. Worried, I searched the room, only to find nothing. I began to panic when I saw something white lying in the corner near a table. Picking it up, I realized it was Archimedes lifeless body. Tears formed in my eyes. I had just lost the last thing I had in this world." Based on Bad Medicine.


**This was inspired and based off of the Source Film Maker video "Bad Medicine" that won the Saxxy for best drama. When you look into it, you can really get a lot of symbolic meanings. I felt like creating a story of why the Medic decides to do what he did and what happens to him in the end. This story is my "interpretation" on it.**

**NOTE: I apologize for any wrong German words. I did my best to translate them, but I have no knowledge of the language and kept getting multiple forms of words. Also missing accent marks...Really hope the title isn't wrong...Also decided not to use the Medic's accent in this.**

**This is also not one hundred percent true to the video. During the "dream" sequence, I changed a few things.**

**Team Fortress belongs to Valve and the video and idea of Bad Medicine belong to Zachariah Scott (with music belonging to Lars Erik Fjosne).**

* * *

**Leben und Tod**

* * *

Nein, this can not be happening...Archimedes...

All I had left was mein Taubchen, but now...he is gone.

I have lost everyone that has ever mattered to me. Now I am alone. There is nothing more to live for.

* * *

Ever since the respawn system malfunctioned, enemies and comrades have gone, taken by Death's hand. The fight's might have been canceled, but that didn't mean the rivalry wasn't still there.

Some of us didn't care much for the BLU's, but some still harbored a hatred for our long time rivals.

Herr Soldier was the first to attack. His hatred for the BLU's never dwindled during the indefinite cease fire. Doe was the first to crack underneath the forced peace.

He couldn't take the cease fire any longer and desperately wanted to fight our opposites. Storming in blindly, Herr Soldier was quickly shot down by his BLU counterpart, who had the same idea as him. The BLU Soldier, his hunger satisfied for the time being, had dragged Doe's lifeless body back to our base. Realizing that he was never to return to the living world, the Demoman went on a rampage.

He managed to kill the BLU Soldier and Demoman in his anger, but the alcohol had an undesirable effect on him. The dizziness and inability to think properly cost him his life. A misaimed grenade managed to blow both the BLU Soldier and Demoman to bits, but it had rebounded off of the wall and detonated between the three of them, taking all of their lives.

* * *

Herr Heavy was the next to go. The BLU Scout was looking to brighten up a rainy day with a few shenanigans. The dummkopf thought it would be funny to mess with Sasha, Herr Heavy's beloved gun. He was caught and a fight ensured between the two. While Herr Heavy bested him, winning the fight, he didn't celebrate his victory for long. The BLU Scout had brought his Scattergun to the fight and managed to mortally wound Herr Heavy, before he was strangled by the Russian's bare hands.

I had heard the screams from both of them and rushed over in order to aid Herr Heavy. By the time I arrived, it was to late. The BLU Scout was lying in a tangled mess of his own limbs and bodily fluids that mixed with Herr Heavy's. While the Scout had no life left in him, a slither of life remained in mein freund. His breathing was shallow as I ran up to him, assessing the damage that had been done. I analyzed the wounds and knew that it was already to late for me to do anything.

The pellets were buried deep into his major organs. I could tell that he only had a few moments left to live. An attempt to run back to the medical bay and retrieve my medi gun would be futile. There was nothing I could do to save his life.

With the last bit of his strength, Herr Heavy placed his hand on my shoulder and spoke his last words.

"Thank you, doctor. For everything..."

A sharp gasp left his lips, before silence filled the room. I couldn't hold it in. He was the best friend I had here and I couldn't help but shed a few tears for the man that treated me like his brother. Looking into his glassy eyes, it was at that point that I realized something. I realized that none of us were going to survive. Both sides were going to perish at the hands of war.

* * *

The next set of deaths, were the worst ones that occurred.

I presumed that both Pyro's sense of reality was clouded by the drug that was constantly being pumped into their suits from that "oxygen" tank they wore on their backs.

We had been staying in Teufort ever since the respawn system had broken down, because the Administrator thought that relocating was pointless and just a waste of resources. One day, both team heard a commotion coming from outside. We all witnessed the two Pyro's arguing on the bridge. What they were debating is still a mystery, but whatever they had said, angered the other even more. As if in sync, they both lit their flamethrowers in an attempt to end the argument. Neither of them were aware that the flames were straying from their intended target, and instead, were lighting the bridge beneath themselves on fire.

The fire spread rapidly and stretched to both bases. Within a matter of minutes, the place we called home was reduced to ashes, along with some our comrades and enemies.

The Pyro's were caught in the middle and despite their flame resistant suit, they were swallowed up by the one thing they adored. Everyone else caught in the flames were buried beneath the once sturdy buildings. When we managed to dragged them out, they were barely recognizable. We were only able to tell that our Scout, Engineer and Sniper were unable to escape, because they were the only ones not to appear out of the debris. The bodies were identified as best as we could, and given a proper burial like the others. From what we could tell, the BLU's lost their Medic and Heavy, leaving them with just their Sniper and Engineer.

With no place to stay and determined to keep the cease fire war going, the Administrator moved us to the closest base, the abandoned hospital. She set us up on opposite sides of the building and ordered us to keep the animosity between us. With only four of us left, it was a difficult task.

None of us wished to fight in this idiotisch war any longer. All we wanted to do was return home, but the Administrator wouldn't allow it. She wouldn't be satisfied until we were all dead.

* * *

When I went to set up a room in one of the operation rooms, found memories returned.

I had chosen the same room that I used the last time we had been here. It was the same room that I completed my first successful Uber procedure. The Heavy's expressions were unforgettable, but remembering mein liebe freunde only brought back the pain of his death.

Most of the people I cared about were gone. The Spy was the only one left, but I never much cared for him. I was grateful that I had let out Archimedes before investigating the commotion that ended in fire. He hadn't been trapped in the ashes and had landed on my shoulder shortly after we had dug out our comrades. He was the only one I loved left, and I couldn't lose him, not in this desperate time.

* * *

For a short time, we managed to live in peace. The remaining men didn't socialize with each other, including myself. Each of us lived our own separate lives away from one another. The teams, or what was left of them, didn't converse with the opposite teams, preferring to keep to themselves. Herr Spy was always gone, so I tended to spend the days alone, with only Archimedes to accompany me as I read old medical books.

The time of peace didn't last long however. Soon, Herr Spy and the BLU Sniper began to get into arguments. Each day they would become harsher, until Herr Spy couldn't tolerate it anymore.

In the dead of the night, he snuck into the room that was being occupied by the BLU Sniper, with the intentions of ending his life. With his keen senses, the BLU Sniper was able to detect Herr Spy and fought back.

I could hear their struggles from my room and rushed over to see what was going on. As I rushed down the halls, I already knew that we were about to lose two more.

As I threw the door open, I witnessed the last of their fight. Herr Spy was skillfully dodging the BLU Sniper's slashes with his Kukri, but, for once in his life, he slipped up. Lunging the small knife into the BLU Sniper's chest, Herr Spy dodged in the wrong direction. As the blade ripped through the Australian's heart, the large steel knife pluged right through Herr Spy's torso.

Both fell to the ground, with only life remaining in Herr Spy. I knew it would be brief, so I didn't even bother to move. He began to spit up large amounts of blood, then suddenly stopped moving, letting the fluids flow down onto the already stained floor.

The two rivals laid there, finally done in by each other. I always had a feeling that they would be the death of one another.

* * *

With just the BLU Engineer and I left, we both decided to have a talk with the Administrator. Neither of us felt the need to fight each other, and admittedly, neither of us even wanted to.

The BLU Engineer, I had felt, was always the nicest one on the BLU's. With the encounters I had with him in battle, through the tension, he always seemed like a humble man that didn't belong here. When we finally talked, I learned that he didn't even want to fight in this war. He only accepted the job because his grandfather had been the one to build the life extender machine for Blutarch. BLU wanted a man who was just as smart and Radigan, and his grandson fit perfectly. He said that they were only going to accept him for the job and even threatened him to. While he said that it puts food on his family's table, he never wanted to be here in the first place.

Listening to the man's story, made my depression grow even more. Ever since we began to lose comrades and enemies, the depressions that I thought I got rid of, returned. After all this was over, at least he had someone to return to. There was no one left to return home to. My family had all passed away and my wife...never again will I run from the governments wishes...

* * *

Within a day of Herr Spy and the BLU Sniper's death, Dell and I contacted the Administrator and told her the truth. We didn't want to continue fighting, and with only two of us left, it would be pointless. With little thought of ourselves, she told us she would think about it and told us that she would contact us with her answer in a few days.

Three days later she responded to our plea, and agreed to let us leave. She stated that it would be a waste to have to spend money on us if we weren't willing to fight. According to her, hiring new mercenaries would be more cost effective in the long run. With the news in hand, Dell and I left to go retrieve our belongings, for the train ride back to town we were promised in the morning.

I thought to myself as I walked back to my room. Why wasn't I happy? I was finally free from this war, but...I was no more happier than I was before. The fact that I had no one to return to still stood. Where could I even go? Back to Stuttgart? Not after what happened...

Returning to the room and grabbing my suitcase, I began to throw my belongings into the bag when I realized Archimedes was nowhere to be found. I called for him, but received no answer. Worried, I searched the room, only to find nothing. I began to panic when I saw something white lying in the corner near a table. Picking it up, I realized it was Archimedes lifeless body.

Tears formed in my eyes. I had just lost the last thing I had in this world.

Hand gently wrapped around his body, I slammed my free fist on the table, angry at whoever decided this fate. Why did God curse me with this fat? Why was I to be a tortured soul, losing everyone and everything I care about. I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't bear to live in this mortal realm any longer.

I had always thought about it before, but now an answer had come. With nothing left, it was finally time to end my misery.

I laid Archimedes down on the table. Having no reason to hold onto him any longer, I left him there as I grabbed a vial from the cabinet and laid down on the operating table. Syringe in hand, I was ready to end it all.

The mixture had been one that I had been creating as opposite to the healing properties of the liquid that fueled the Medi Gun. I had developed it in hopes of turning it into a weapon to use against my enemies, but it seems as though it was ultimately used to defeat myself.

Filling the syringe, I sat the vial back onto the table besides me that held the Medi Gun and a few other tools. I looked at the needle as a drop of the mixture fell from the end of needle, falling onto the table with a light splash. With no regrets, I stuck the needle into my arm and immediately began to feel its effects.

Bright spots appeared in my vision as the room broke down before my eyes. Everything, even the walls, began to float away. The floor was replaced with tall grass, that looked as beautiful as can be. The cold lifeless room was quickly becoming a grassy meadow.

I was ready for my life to slip away, but felt no signs of it anytime soon. All I felt was this euphoric sensation, like I was drugged.

I flexed my fingers to see if I was still capable of movement, when I heard something move besides me. I looked over to my left and saw my Medi Gun fluttering away with everything else. It hovered for a few seconds before it released a red beam. I saw it float away with the rest of the room, leaving me alone in a grassy area. Still not comprehending what was going on, I suddenly heard a familiar chirp.

The beam the gun had produced, lingered in front of me, but was shaped into that of a bird. The translucent glowing red dove flew around me twice before landing on my forearm. Unsure of what to think, I looked at it with a thought of impossibility.

The figure flashed brightly, causing me to look away. When I returned my gaze, I couldn't believe who was sitting on my arm. Archimedes was perched, happy as could be, smiling at me as much as a bird could. Joy filled me, as I was reunited with the last thing I had loved.

Unfortunately, this did not last long. A flash of lightning occurred on a grassy grave site hill in front of me, illuminating a figure on top. Surrounded by gravestones, this figure...was me.

It held a bird cage in its right hand with a hawk perched on his left. A primitive gas mask in the shape of a bird's beak covered its face, but other than that, it was an image of myself.

The hawk flew off of its arm, away from the fight that was about to ensure. It looked at the cage with interest, then turned and pointed at Archimedes, commanding me to give him up.

I already knew who this was. It was death, coming to take back what is rightfully his.

I wouldn't let him have him. I pulled him back defensively, refusing to give into its demands. Knowing that I was not going to give mein Taubchen up, its seemingly normal arm transformed into a demons claw. The arm stretched out to inhuman lengths, cracking its bones, sickeningly, as it did so. The movement was so fast, that I had no time to react.

It reached out and harshly grabbed Archimedes, throwing him into the cage it held. Archimedes was now longer there. Instead, a glowing red orb stood in its place. Looking back on it, death had just taken Archimedes soul, caging it from freedom.

Death began to walk off with its task completed, but I was not going to let him. Furious that everything had been taken away once again, I was desperate to do something. Looking around the ground beneath me, I spotted two of my weapons: the Crusader's Crossbow and Amputator.

Quickly grabbing them both, I aimed the crossbow at the slowly fading figured and fired. The arrow skewed it right through the chest, but it seemed to have no real effect. It staggered over slightly and began to tug at the lodged arrow. Knowing I had to do something quickly, I firmly gripped the Amputator and lunged at it, jumping high up in the air.

My presence was already made aware to it and it turned around in time to grab a hold of my neck as I was attacking. It held me up as I struggled to break free. A storm suddenly appeared, as it began to rain heavily with death holding me over the edge of a rocky mountain.

It looked back at the arrow and pulled it out with ease, looking at it, effectively telling me that it was pointless to even try. Tightening his grip, I gasped, dropping the saw into nothingness. The hold it had on me was beginning to suffocate me. I couldn't receive any oxygen and was sure that this was the end.

Even though its face was covered, I still knew that it was telling me that everything was pointless. I couldn't do anything by myself. I was worthless.

It held me up higher, dropping both the cage and the arrow. Ready to release me and let me fall to my death, I began to black out. There was no way I would survive this. This was the end.

I readied myself to be dropped, but caught a red light out of the corner of my eye. The glowing form of Archimedes was holding the Amputator, ready to drop it in my hand. I held out my right hand and grabbed the saw as it flew by. Weapon in hand, I swung towards its neck, hoping that it would do something. To my surprise, its head was chopped clean off, freeing me from its grip.

The headless body sunk down and collapsed on to the rocky mountain side. With the threat gone, I collected myself and grabbed the birdcage that laid sideways upon the ground. It seemed as though I had managed to get my revenge on the one who took everything away from me. Happy with the situation, I looked around, only to see a lone gravestone.

The cross sat upon the top of the hill next to a bare tree. I walked over to it and attempted to make out the words, but was unable to. It didn't matter though, and with nothing more to do, I sat down in front of it and analyzed the cage.

It was just a regular old cage. Nothing special, or at least, nothing that I could tell. I heard a chirp and looked up to see the glowing red bird fly onto my arm again. Smiling, knowing that Archimedes and I were free, I allowed him to go.

Soon I will follow in suit, but for now, all I need is rest.

* * *

**Not as detailed as I normally write, but it's from the Medic's point of view. The man is not going to know everything that happens.**

**Some things might not make sense and maybe I shouldn't have added some, but hey they aren't suppose to. Life and death are a mystery and always will be.**


End file.
